Sound as a (Preston) pound

A new currency, meekats riding camels, dinosaurs, Michael Jackson and Elvis – what more do you want?

Ahh, a meerkat riding a camel down a Preston high street.

But there’s more, on Saturday, as part of Prestfest!

There’ll be guests from Jurassic Park, the Lego Movie and Jacko and Elvis alive!

Add in the world’s biggest animatronic troll and LED light artists, and your stroll around the city is going to be like none before.

The street entertainment will roam between 9pm and midnight as part of Prestfest; which promotes the city as a safe, vibrant and inclusive night out – still the only destination in Lancashire to hold the award!

Visitors to Preston also have the chance to win their share of £500 to spend on Saturday with the Bank of BID, which will be stopping off at various locations on Church Street and Friargate.

Members of the public are invited to enter their chosen random PIN number and, if the cash machine accepts it, you’ll win £50 worth of Preston Pounds to spend on your night out – a currency created that can only be spent within the city.

Tomorrow, Lancashire’s finest guide, Simon Entwistle, will meet members of the public at the war memorial on the Flag Market at 8pm for his quirky tour of the city centre, which is suitable for all ages and is free.

Also on Friday, radio’s Danny Bee and Luke Marsden will be visiting 20 city centre venues to hold competitions; in each venue someone will win £50 in Preston Pounds to spend on their night out!

The venues are:

9pm - Fusion Room & Frog & Bucket

9.20pm - Olive Press & Tinos Restaurant

9.40pm - Duk~Pond & Café Bar

10pm - Black Horse and Korova Arts Café

10.20pm - Bull & Royal and Station Hotel

10.40pm - Bears Paw and Corn Exchange

11pm - Golden Cross & Stanley Arms

11.20pm - MACs & BLITZ

11.40pm - Glovers and Yates

Midnight - Popworld and Baluga

Jessica Toomey, chair of Preston by Night and operator of the Frog & Bucket Comedy Club, said it would be the biggest bank holiday weekend party Preston has ever seen.

She said: “This is the third time Prestfest will have hit the streets of Preston and we have no doubt this will be the biggest and best.

“The aim of the event is to create a unique experience which people will remember and encourage them to come back to enjoy a fun and safe night out in Preston.

“We have already seen people coming from all over the North West and beyond because of the success of previous events.”

The BID and the Preston By Night Committee, made up of representatives of the city’s night-time venues, have sent out more than 30,000 guides to homes to promote the event.

Mark Whittle, from Preston BID, organisers of the event, added: “ We want locals and visitors alike to download their guide and support and enjoy the special offers created by city centre venues for Prestfest.

“But, as with any event like this, all we can do is attract people here, it is down to the wide variety of venues in the city centre to give them a night out which keeps them coming back.”

Guides can be downloaded at www.preston.co.uk and information on the weekend can be found by following @Prestfest and @PrestonByNight on Twitter.

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